Random Thoughts - Part III The Search for Spark (No Politics)

[humfrz]

Originally Posted by Stephen W.

Yes but what in particular?



Nope, in 1955 you only had a choice between a column mounted 3 speed or automatic.

Back in the day, in Ohio, we used to call column mounted MT shifters "stick shifts".

[blsfrs]

Originally Posted by Stephen W.

Yes but what in particular?





Nope, in 1955 you only had a choice between a column mounted 3 speed or automatic.

The piece of trim along the roof was hinged so that when the door was closed, with the window up, the trim piece would fold down and "seal" the top of the window. In the picture to trim is folded up.


I should have said manual shift vs automatic In my brain, stick shift and manual are the same thing, no matter whether it in the floor or on the column. HUMFRZ agrees proving that great minds work alike. We called the 3-on-the -tree a grinder box because first gear wasn't synchronized. To get it into 1st while moving, you had to do a little double clutching. The auto was a Power Glide. PNDLR.

[Stephen W.]

Originally Posted by humfrz

Back in the day, in Ohio, we used to call column mounted MT shifters "stick shifts".

Growing up in Canada the term “stick” was often in reference to the joy stick used to control aeroplanes (OK, airplanes). After WWII English sports cars started to appear in greater numbers in North America. Because these came with floor mounted shifters they were called “stick shifts”. I believe early Hot Rodders picked up on this term.
Like blsfrs states I was used to the term three on the tree for column mounted shifters. But, to me and those I knew and hung with floor mounted shifters were always called stick shifts.

[Dadhawk]

While we are doing "back in the day" anyone remember these? Gulf Oil gave these origami Lunar Excursion Modules away back in 1969 before the moon landing. My grandparents exclusively used Gulf (it was what was closest to them in rural KY). I know I assembled at least a dozen of them, and had at least three of them on the floor with me when watching Apollo 11. I even had 5 or 6 that were never assembled but a mouse made a home out of them in a cabinet.

Found them on eBay, can't believe they still exist, including the instruction sheet. I should have bought two so I could assemble one and frame the other. May still do that.

This was my second favorite childhood toy. My favorite was the Johnny 7 OMA (One Man Army) rifle.

[Sapphireho]

When I was a kid, there weren't many "three on the tree" vehicles around. In fact, I can't remember any of my friends family having one. Vehicles were either "stick", or "auto", and everyone knew how to drive a "stick".

I don't remember any paper lunar modules, but we didn't have many Gulf stations in Nor Cal. I do remember watching the moon landing with my dad, while playing with my G.I. Joe in his space suit. I was a couple weeks away from turning 6.

[Dadhawk]

Originally Posted by Sapphireho

When I was a kid, there weren't many "three on the tree" vehicles around. In fact, I can't remember any of my friends family having one. Vehicles were either "stick", or "auto", and everyone knew how to drive a "stick".

I remember a lot of them, but they were almost exclusively trucks. In fact I learned to drive MT in a pickup truck with "3 on the tree".

One of my favorite childhood memories was my Uncle (how was only 10 years older than me) going into town with my Grandfather's Ford F100 pickup with 3 on the tree. My Uncle got egged into a stop light drag race with a high school friend (he was 17 at the time). When he took off and was going from 1st to 2nd he sheared off the pin holding the gear shift arm and pulled it off in his hand.

We both laughed about that every time we got together for the next 50 years.

[new2subaru]

The first vehicle I drove was a Ford Econoline with 3 on the tree. 14 years old, no license driving through a busy city. Lots of grinding of the gears. The owner was drunk and passed out so I guess I was the DD.

[Sapphireho]

Originally Posted by Dadhawk

I remember a lot of them, but they were almost exclusively trucks. In fact I learned to drive MT in a pickup truck with "3 on tree"...

The only one I ever remember driving was a 1950 something Chevy panel delivery truck. A guy I knew in high school had one his dad gave him. My friend didn't have his license yet, so his dad let me drive us around in it.

[Dadhawk]

Originally Posted by Sapphireho

The only one I ever remember driving was a 1950 something Chevy panel delivery truck. A guy I knew in high school had one his dad gave him. My friend didn't have his license yet, so his dad let me drive us around in it.

I drove a lot of them, but then my family tended to buy used and at the bottom of the automotive chain so even in the mid 70s by the time I was driving most of what we drove were 50's and 60's vintage.

The first new truck my Father ever bought was a 1976 Dodge D150, and it also had 3 on the tree and a 318 V8.

If I remember correctly most of this had died out by the mid-80s due to emissions standards requiring higher gear ratios. The '79 Vega was the passenger car "last gasp" and by 1985 or 86 they had died out in light trucks and vans.

[ichitaka05]

Originally Posted by ichitaka05

This count?

Haha it’s early 80’s w Nissan Skyline KenMari w custom paint & used to race down the Hakone.

[OkieSnuffBox]

Originally Posted by Dadhawk

While we are doing "back in the day" anyone remember these? Gulf Oil gave these origami Lunar Excursion Modules away back in 1969 before the moon landing. My grandparents exclusively used Gulf (it was what was closest to them in rural KY). I know I assembled at least a dozen of them, and had at least three of them on the floor with me when watching Apollo 11. I even had 5 or 6 that were never assembled but a mouse made a home out of them in a cabinet.

Found them on eBay, can't believe they still exist, including the instruction sheet. I should have bought two so I could assemble one and frame the other. May still do that.

This was my second favorite childhood toy. My favorite was the Johnny 7 OMA (One Man Army) rifle.

That is super cool!

[bcj]

A friend of my dad's had an early 60's Datsun pickup that I got to drive for a bit around a property we were cleaning up.
It had a 4-on-the-tree and reverse. I thought that was way cool.
I had only driven grandpa's manual 2 door Ranch Wagon up til then.

Got an old TreeTop kite that you had to mail-order back in the day.
It was in a raffle at the Kitemakers conference last March.

[Stephen W.]

Interesting gear selectors I have known.
My father had cars with three on the tree like a 1937 LaSalle coupe. He also had a 1936 Cord 810 with a pre selector mounted on the column. You could use your thumb and forefinger or leave your hand on the wheel and use your middle finger to move the selector. Select the gear you wanted and then depress and release the clutch pedal when you wanted to change to that gear. It also had an early form of cruise control. It was just a manual hand lever that would control the throttle up to about 30mph.
My oldest brother had a pair of LHD 1953 Jowett Javelins with four on the tree. As I recall reverse was between 1st and 3rd. The Jowett was a very interesting car being front wheel drive and powered by a flat four. My father jokingly called it, “A Single Over Head Fan Shaft”. (Look up engine photos and you’ll get the joke.)
My other brother had a Renault that had the four speed shifter coming out of the dash. I do not remember much about that car as he didn’t have it long. He was always wheeling and dealing.

[Dadhawk]

Originally Posted by Stephen W.

[COLOR=black][FONT=&quot]Interesting gear selectors I have known.....

My very first "just mine" car was a '64 Dodge Polara 500 2 door with a push button automatic transmission.

Pretty much exactly like this one. What a great tank!